VieTech developed an destacker for a growing vase for orchids, developed by Ter Laak Orchids itself. For this, the logistics processes had to be adjusted to size, so that both the existing process (with 12 cm pots) and the new (with 9 cm vases) could be carried out with the same set-up.
Ter Laak already had a system in which containers for 12 cm pots are moved over a number of conveyor belts: Empty containers arrive at the collar unstacker; here a collar is placed on each holder. The holder with collar continues to the loading areas where employees place a plant on each holder with collar. The collar puller then pulls the collar up over the pot. A robot then places the plants in a container.
VieTech adapted this system so that 9 cm pots can also be processed. The plants should be placed in special vases instead of collars. The requirement was that the existing system had to continue to work and that it was easy and quick to switch between the 2 systems.
The vase destacker places the cultivation vases on a custom-made holder. The staff then fill the vases with plants. The holder goes on to the robot, which is provided with a fork specially developed by Vietech that feeds the vases with plants by means of hold the vacuum and place it in a container.
The system is built in such a way that you can quickly switch between 9 and 12 cm pots. Switching consists of changing the holders and the fork in the robot.
